Is Richard Childress Racing finally set to confirm the worst-kept secret in NASCAR?

Or does the team something else in store?

Either way, the team will finally reveal its plans for the 2014 Sprint Cup season in a Dec. 11 press conference according to multiple motorsports reporters including Bob Pockrass of The Sporting News, Marty Smith of ESPN, and Brant James – who seems to have the same idea that we’ve all got at this point:

Additionally, Dillon is expected to take on RCR’s No. 3, which was made famous by the late seven-time Cup champion and NASCAR icon, Dale Earnhardt Sr.

For his part, Dillon has remained patient about officially announcing his status for 2014. It would appear that he won’t have to wait much longer with the news of RCR’s presser next Wednesday.

What remains to be seen is how such an announcement would or will fare among the fan base – and if he can afterwards live up to his expectations of winning Cup Rookie of the Year honors over another gifted young talent in Kyle Larson.

It’s known as “Carburetor Day” – or in its simplest term, just “Carb Day.”

But the final day of on-track action Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway before Sunday’s 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 is so much more.

Especially on NBCSN, which will have wall-to-wall live coverage starting Friday morning.

Here’s how Friday’s schedule breaks down:

11 a.m. ET: Carb Day kicks off with the final practice for Sunday’s Indy 500. The session will last one hour in length.

12 p.m. ET: We’re going racing! Strap in for coverage of the Indy Lights’ Freedom 100 on the famous Brickyard.

1:30 p.m. ET: We’ll have coverage of the annual IndyCar Pit Stop Challenge. Which teams have the best – and most importantly, fastest and accurate – pit crews? Team Penske has won 10 of the last 12, including the last two years edging out Schmidt Peterson Motorsports each time. Who can potentially beat them this year?

3:30 p.m. ET: We’ll have our annual NASCAR America Motorsports Special. Among segments included in the 90-minute show will be:1) 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi will discuss how it used to upset him when people suggested he “backed into” his big win and how he didn’t really feel vindicated until he qualified on the front row for last year’s race.
2) Defending 500 winner Takuma Sato, the first Japanese driver to ever win at Indianapolis, discusses the impact of his big win personally and professionally, particularly back in his native land.
3) An essay by Robin Miller on Stefan Wilson giving up his ride last year to allow Fernando Alonso to race for Andretti Autosport.
4) An essay by Nate Ryan on Danica Patrick as she looks to compete in her final Indy 500 before retiring from professional racing.